As much as I loathe that new reality show he's on (which my wife watches all the time), and dislike all of his current work with Methods and solo, he was one hell of a showman back in the day. He was a pioneer as far as showmanship and 80's drummers.

In my opinion, Tommy Lee is an excellent drummer and displays great showmanship...Tommy's drumming talent speaks for itself...He is a legend of his time...There is no "great" band without a powerful drummer....Heres to you!

I think Tommy is a great rock drummer,I like drummers who look like there having a good time and if you look at the "looks that kill" video the cymbal stands are rocking like a boat in a storm,he's a rock drummer after all.there something cool about a drummer with a 32" bass drum.Rock-On Tommy.

tommy lee is a great performer and a great drummer. he plays for the crowd and is always a true showman. and in the hey day of 80's style heavy metal, he was the king of the kit. when most bands have the drum solo in thier show come up. its a cue for everyone to go to the bathroom. when the crue has thier drum solo its a well orchestrated production as well as a drum solo, so he captures the attention of everyone in the stadium, not just the 500 drummers. that my friends is marketing strategy at its best. ROCK ON TOMMY
RESPECT, RESPECT, RESPECT

Tommy Lee is a fine drummer. He has also influenced a lot of drummers including myself. I do not hold him in the highest esteem but I am glad I bought the "Shout" album when I was a kid. He made me want to play the drums. That is good enough for me!

Hi,
who has already listened to the Rockstar Supernova record?
I think Tommy's drumming is really great on that record.
What do you guys think?

Regards
Mayhem

I haven't heard it yet..

As for Tommy, I enjoyed his stuff when he played with Motley Crue. He may not be the most technical drummer, but he definitely rocks in my book. I saw Crue in the 80's, and Tommy had the drum kit fly over the audience. I can still remember him rocking out to Frankenstein during his solo. Tommy is to Motley Crue what David Lee Roth is to Van Halen.

__________________
When we do right, no one remembers. When we do wrong, no one forgets.

I actually stopped watching that video and minimized the window and forgot about it for about 1/2 an hour and then brought it back up and decided to see wut was goin on in the middle of the video and he plays a bunch of zeppelin songs while twirling a stick. still not that great tho. Just plays to the songs

dont judge a drummer by a "drum" solo is my motto.. watch the "new" dvd with motley crue and you will see a drummer who really plays the songs they play very good. much better, because he is more "into" it, than certain other drummers.

I think Tommy Lee is a great rock drummer/performer. He has tons of energy behind the kit and a great entertainment factor. Very solid rock drummer as far as I'm concerned. I gotta laugh when Virgil and Weckl wannabe's that sit around practicing 14 hours a day run there mouths about how rock guys like Tommy and Barker "s u c k". Been through that phase in my drumming life and soo glad i'm out of it. Tommy is a damn good rock drummer and no drum nerd playing 15 hours a day in their basement is gonna convince me otherwise :)

I remember it like it was yesterday. It was 1981 and I was with my uncle at his buddies house. We were tight! I was 4 years old at the time.

Keeping a long story short... my uncle and his friend were about to head into the garage, but before that... his buddy came up to me and said, "I want you to listen to this and tell me what you think when we get back." He calmly placed the album on the player, put the needle to it.. and walked away. Before he even left the room I heard and incredible sound comming from his Sony speakers. It was the opening riff from "Live Wire." IMMEDIATELY, it hit me like something I had never made a connnection to previously. I remember, I was sitting a foot or so away infront of the right side speaker. Then, BAM... I felt the double bass section kick in.

I was hooked.

Ever since that day, I have followed Tommy's career. One thing I will say about Tommy that has always impressed me... He never played BEYOND what the music called for,and he added some serious flare and showmanship to it.

Gospel and Blues ended up having a child, and that childs name was Rock n' Roll. Tommy Lee is a product of that generation. Nothing extremely fancy... but he does blow your mind every now and then with his abilities.

I would consider myself to be a true Tommy Lee fan. I'm not here to argue about how great or NOT of a drummer he is. From all of this, one simple fact remains. Tommy is a pioneer... not necessarily when it comes to the technical side of drumming, but when it comes to a huge shift in music. Much like Nirvana was the major shift for the industry in the 90's, Tommy Lee w/ Motley Crue was the largest part of the shift for the 80's and my generation.

Having been to every Motley Crue tour since (Shout At The Devil) and watching Tommy grow in his style... I am seriously impressed with his abilities. For the most part, unless he was an inspiration to you, he will be just like every other drummer. One needs to see and hear him LIVE to gain the most from his ability.

Do any of you know what kind of kit Tommy played with during the too fast for love and shout at the devil albums??? Does anybody know the specs of that kit and the cymbal sizes?

I think it was sonor back then, then he changed to pearl for dr feelgod, and it was definily sonor for theatre of pain...... check the inlay cards in the albums for closure on that one. and im 100% sure it was Paiste 2002s he was using back then. Not sure of the sizes though.

I think it was sonor back then, then he changed to pearl for dr feelgod, and it was definily sonor for theatre of pain...... check the inlay cards in the albums for closure on that one. and im 100% sure it was Paiste 2002s he was using back then. Not sure of the sizes though.

Somebody had said something about that kit being a Tama Imperialstar or something like that. I'd like to know more about the sizes and specs. My older bro (who was 13 when shout was released) got me into them. To that point, I was a KISS fan. When I saw the "Looks that kill" video. That was it. The flare he brought to drumming is what inspired me to play. I've loved him ever since. That early kit is near and dear to me but nobody seems to have a history page or something that I could find that. Would be cool if someone knew.

I think it was sonor back then, then he changed to pearl for dr feelgod, and it was definily sonor for theatre of pain...... check the inlay cards in the albums for closure on that one. and im 100% sure it was Paiste 2002s he was using back then. Not sure of the sizes though.

I think your right for the most part. I'm almost positive that he went to Pearl on Girls Girls Girls and continued through DGF and DOD. It was DW after that. I thought he was playing Pearl on T.O.P, but you might be right about Sonor. It really sucks not being able to find a site listing his recording/tour kits. Really strange actually.

I think your right up until Dr. Feelgood. I'm almost positive that he went to Pearl on Girls Girls Girls. I thought he was playing Pearl on T.O.P, but you might be right.

From what I understand, it was Sonor on T.O.P. and Pearl was used to record Girls and Dr. Feelgood. He went to DW during the Dr. Feelgood tour. I have a sheet that Paiste sent me back in '94 (before the internet) which lists the crashes he used for the self titled Crue album but I'd like to know the ones he used before that.

From what I understand, it was Sonor on T.O.P. and Pearl was used to record Girls and Dr. Feelgood. He went to DW during the Dr. Feelgood tour. I have a sheet that Paiste sent me back in '94 (before the internet) which lists the crashes he used for the self titled Crue album but I'd like to know the ones he used before that.

Cool! So he did go to Pearl on GGG, I thought so. I'm really shocked that he was using Paiste 2002 on the self titled Crue album. I would have never guessed Paiste. Just goes to show that proper production can make cymbals sound amazing. The reason I am saying that is... I never gave the self titled debut w/ Corabi a chance when it came out. Now, I think its one of the best albums the Crue ever did. The drums are dynamic and extrememly backing the music. Best drum tracks ever.

Cool! So he did go to Pearl on GGG, I thought so. I'm really shocked that he was using Paiste 2002 on the self titled Crue album. I would have never guessed Paiste. Just goes to show that proper production can make cymbals sound amazing. The reason I am saying that is... I never gave the self titled debut w/ Corabi a chance when it came out. Now, I think its one of the best albums the Crue ever did. The drums are dynamic and extrememly backing the music. Best drum tracks ever.

Thanks for you input buddy.

You are soooo right about the Crue album with Corabi. It's probably one of the best-sounding albums I've ever heard. I know that he used Pearl for sure on Girls 'cause I remember the ad for Pearl drums and he's upside down in the cage on stage. He used mostly Paiste Sgs on the self titled album.

You are soooo right about the Crue album with Corabi. It's probably one of the best-sounding albums I've ever heard.

I have been a fan of the Crue since 1981, and I have been to every tour more than once starting with Shout At The Devil. When Vince left the band I thought the Crue was gone. Even when they released the self titled debut I bought it just to hear it. At first I didn't like it. Probably because Vince wasn't singing. So, I threw it away. Now, 10 years later... I think its without a doubt the one of the best Crue albums ever. The sound was so BOMBASTIC!

I'm happy to see the Crue back together with Vince. I saw them twice on the Carnival of Sins Tour.... (Opening Night Feb. 17th 2005) and in Orlando in September 2005.) Best show ever I will add.

The Crue are back together and are recording another album which I am sure you know.

Oh yeah, I know. I haven't been a fan as long as you but I would say since '84 for me. I was 7. I saw them twice on the C.O.S. tour too. Montreal and St John, Canada. My bro saw them on theater and dr feelgood in Quebec. I had the same feeling you did when they put the Corabi album out. I think Nikki said it best. If that album had been called anything other than Motley Crue, it would have sold millions!!!! I found 2 old pics and both kits are Sonor. The shout one must be newer 'cause the other kit had a concert tom and this one doesn't.

Oh yeah, I know. I haven't been a fan as long as you but I would say since '84 for me. I was 7. I saw them twice on the C.O.S. tour too. Montreal and St John, Canada. My bro saw them on theater and dr feelgood in Quebec. I had the same feeling you did when they put the Corabi album out. I think Nikki said it best. If that album had been called anything other than Motley Crue, it would have sold millions!!!! I found 2 old pics and both kits are Sonor. The shout one must be newer 'cause the other kit had a concert tom and this one doesn't.

The top pic is from the Theatre Of Pain tour... look at the bass drum reso heads. Its the "smile now cry later" logo from the T.O.P. album. Thats the tour where Tommy and his kit pushed the 90 degree solo. And your right... you can see the Sonor logo on the toms.